Bitch digger



F. N. WEBER DITCH DIGGER June 24, 1930.

Filed Feb. 2, 1927 Patented dune 24, 1930 guliu'rflazn` STATES PATENT oFFlCE .FR-ANZ N. WEBER, OF DUNLAP, IOWA,- ASSIGNO OF ONE-HALF. TO PIETER WEBER, JR.,

F DUNLAP, IOWA.

nrron: niGGR Application led February 2, 1927. Serial No. 165,421.

My invention relates vto excavating machines and more particularly to trench o r ditch diggers and has for its object to provide an apparatus of this character equipped with a special type of digging and excavating chain.

- Other objects and advantages resideV in the special construction, operation and arrangement of the elements formingthe invention Vlo as more fully hereinafter describedl and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofthe machine generally, and Figure 2 is a detail of a section of the digging chain. Y

Referring now to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a vehicle body or platform 5 mounted on wheels 6 at each end thereof and upon which is arranged a power plant 7 which may` be of any suit-able type such as a gas engine.

A'frame is constructed on" the body comprising a pair of vertical posts 8 near the rear of the body and` forwardly inclined braces 9 attached near the top of said posts. A transverse beam 10 also connects the upper ends of the posts. An excavator hoisting arm 11 is attached at the upper endsA of the posts and extends rearwardly and at one side of the machine and hasits rear end provided with la trailer' wheel 12. y Y

A transverse shaft 13 is carried yby the posts, upon which is rotatably arranged sprocket wheels 14 intermediate its ends. The shaft also pivotally supports one end of 4Q a pair of excavating chain supporting armsl 15 which extend rearwardly from the machine and provided at their outer ends with sprocket wheels 16. An endless chain 17 is arranged on the sprockets 14: and 16 and having links with transverse sections 18 for engage` ment with the'teeth'of thesprockets andupwardly extending'prongs 19, one ofwhich has its endy 2O extended inwardly substan-l tially parallel with the section 18. The adjoining links are'arranged with the inturned ends 2O oppositely `formed so that-'each side of the chain'is provided with an equal number of the inturned ends alternately arranged.

Intermediate the ends of the chain supporting arms is attacheda yoke 2l to which a cable 22 issecuredvand extended upwardly over a pulley 23 carried bythe hoisting arm 11 and forwardly' to a windlass 2A mounted on top of the posts 8. A crank- 25 `is provided for the windlass and also a pawl 26and ratchet 27 for retaining the excavating arms in adesired elevational position. `A chain tightener 28 is pivotally attached to the chain supporting arms having a spring 29 for maintaining the proper tension on the chain.

A drive wheel 30 is operatively carried by the power plant under control by a clutch lever 31 and operates abeltwheel 32 mounted on one end ofthe shaftl by means of a belt 50, thus Vsupplying power for driving the` chain. l

It will be apparent that upon the operation of the chain about the sprocket wheels that ltheprongs 19 at the ends ofthe links will dig allel relation, with each other, one of said prongs having its end turned toward said other prong and Vparallel to said bight section, and a pair of spaced parallel members extend ingL from each bight section longitudinally ofthe chain for connection to an adjacent bightl section.

In-,testimony whereof I affix my signature.v

' FRANZ N. IVEBER. 

